Category: Girlspiration

I can’t get enough of it! In case you don’t know, here’s the deal with this new-ish app: you can “broadcast” to the world live. people watching can see and hear you, as well as send you comments and interact with hearts when they like something. The broadcast remains viewable for 24 hours . After that pocket of time, your broadcast disappears!

For the past three weeks, I’ve been broadcasting a 15-minute show each week. It’s called “Living Art”, and it’s an art making-minded mishmash of topical subjects. I’ve tackled a new one each week, respectively: goal planning, brainstorming, and operating from a sense of lack (or, Starving Artist Mindset– that old chestnut!). I typically video wherever I happen to be at on Friday or Saturday, answer questions, and freestyle ideas that have worked (or should be avoided!) by me.

Once a month, I bring a guest on for a mini-hang. We’re as likely to answer your questions as we are to eat cake and talk about how Duckie’s clothing choices are still the best thing to hit the big screen.

I heard Grimes on a podcast yesterday, and CANNOT STOP with her now! It’s nearly 24 hours later, and I’ve been playing her new album, “Art Angels”, non-stop. It’s a frantic, energy-laden call to arms unlike anything I’ve listened to before: steeped in pop and electronic sensibilities, and glazed with a darkness I can’t help but be enchanted by. You know how fairy tales were before Disney got ahold of them? That’s Grimes.

I can’t help but wonder what her creative process is; what she surrounds herself with, if she has a favorite talisman, if she’d want to come over and make a vision board together. I know, basically, we should be best friends.

It was no joke. We don’t have air conditioning in our small little bungalow, so I would sit downstairs with three fans blowing on me while I worked on this collection. When it finally came to be time to shoot these shirts, all I could do was hope that we’d get a short break in the heat wave for our shoot to happen.

Thankfully it worked out! Ashley and Celina came over on a Saturday morning, smiling and beautiful. The air was heavy with moisture, but it was just cool enough that we felt ok going to a nearby park to take photos.

Celina and Ashley, who hadn’t met before, got along famously, and it felt so good to see their chemistry with one another while the trees seemed to be in a state of relaxed breath. I felt like we were locked in a small, warm cocoon of connection as we walked on cobbled paths and gently moved branches out of our way– such a rarity in Los Angeles that I feel it has to be noted!

Big thank yous to Celina and Ashley for modeling. You two were an absolute pleasure! xo

When Victoria Innocenzi, Taleen Kali and I got together a few weeks ago to collaborate on my lookbook for my new tee collection, “Rhythm Changes”, it felt good. REALLY, REALLY GOOD.

You remember how when you were grouped together in classes for a project and you’d end up doing ALL of the work, and you could feel that ugly feeling of people shirking their responsibilities, and then it happened, and it made you dread the whole thing, even though you were studying something immensely interesting like the Black Plague?

This was not like that. I could tell, even in the planning stages, that there was a special sort of mind meld as we dug deeper into the project, firing away ideas and running back and forth with them.

As a result, our day shooting was filled with laughter, heart-to-hearts, and blasting Hole over and over. We spent time bonding over Hole’s influence over each of us. Honestly, Courtney is so intrinsically tied to my adolescence that I can’t imagine what it would have been without her.

Victoria, our photographer, wasn’t necessarily planning on shooting a video, but she ended up doing it anyhow. For about two seconds all of us were deliberating what music to set it to, and then Taleen remembered that her band Tulips did a cover of Hole’s “Live Through This”. WHEW! Could it be any more perfect?!

I’m so grateful that this was made. I’m so grateful for project synergy, and top notch collaborators. I’m so grateful to share this with you. xo

A few weeks ago, Victoria Innocenzi, Taleen Kali, and I got together to play guitar, try on t-shirts, have some friends over, and take some photos. Taleen is in the band Tulips and also makes her own music– she is a real life rock’n’roll badass and the absolute perfect person to don this new collection. The three of us have a couple more surprises in the works, but for now, listen up! The Rhythm Changes Lookbook is ready to make it’s debut!

I remember the first time I was harassed on the street. I was nine. NINE. I grew up a little too fast– breasts and my period by third grade, too tall and too shy to make friends quickly. Which was pretty convenient for garnering attention on the walk home from school every day.

I started wearing headphones that didn’t work so I could pretend to ignore the catcalls but still be aware of my surroundings. In junior high I read that you could hold keys between your knuckles and no one would see that coming. Now, when I share that I’ve been yelled at, wolf whistled, assaulted, or otherwise degraded, the marginalized GET IT, and a lot of dudes make jokes about “boys will be boys” or “here’s what you should say next time”, followed by some clever backtalk. The thing is, I am way too scared to yell back– so often when this happens, the harasser is in a group or if by themselves, definitely larger/stronger/more aggressive.

I still don’t understand how people brush this shit off. It’s not funny, and if we make jokes about it then it never gets taken care of. It’s not something I’ll ever get used to and it’s certainly not something I want to ever have to tell kids I love that they should have to prepare for.

So this is my promise to myself: I will hollaback. I will make eye contact, lower my voice, and say, “Don’t talk that way to me or anyone ever again”. I will do this for myself and I will do this if you are with me.

Please join me by making your own sign about why you hollaback. Hollaback LA is spearheading this campaign, and I truly believe in it. You can find more information at their LA Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/HollabackLA

My friend Bunny had a brilliant idea a few months ago– assemble her all of her friends who have awesome projects going on, and create a space where people could get up close and personal with each of them. It’s called “Wet Silk”, and it’s kind of amazing who’s she’s got lined up.

I’ll be making a pop-up shop at Wet Silk on August 21st, complete with tee shirts in tow. I’m honored to be part of it, but I’m also so SO excited to be in the company of these artists! I think you’ll dig them too.

Come out, grab a drink, and get your #feminasty on! I wanna meet you and hang out. xo

There are certain people I like right away, and Camay Villanueva is one of them. She’s kind-hearted, engaged, and above all, has a laser sharp knack for spying the sartorial potential of, well, everything! Be sure to check out Reflekt, her style magazine that focuses “more on people than clothes”. How’s that for revolutionary?

A few weeks ago, I had the best time setting up the Feminasty Pop Up Shop at the launch party of LA Mother!

LA Mother is sorta the best idea ever. I love how they describe their business: “LA Mother is the first business of its type dedicated purely to the advancement of women in the creative and business sectors. We have created a safe space to provide a platform for women in our growing community.”

Basically, how could we NOT be part of that? LA Mother’s central hub is in Hollywood, surrounded as much by crazy traffic as by hills and houses balanced on stilts. It’s feminist message is magic.

My friend Celina and I had a blast, hanging out, sipping mimosas, and feeling the vibe of creativity. LA Mother created a social media campaign called “Not a Dirty Word”, which invites folks to reclaim the words hurled at them in order to make them feel bad. Mine was “Yoko”. Celina’s was “boyish”. All of the contributions were installed on a large part of one of the walls for the opening.

Maybe the best part? Meeting so many rad people and taking selfies with them! HELL-O!

Celina’s Girl Gang shirt was DIY-ed with tulle sleeves and a crop top chop. How epic is this photo of her on the bed at the party? PURE. FUCKING. JOY!

Big thanks from the bottom of my heart to everyone who came out that night and especially those that picked up a shirt! I’d love to see what you do with them– make sure to tag #Feminasty when you put your selfie up on Instagram!

Romy was one of my models for the Feminasty Lookbook shoot back in January. I instantly liked her– she’s got a firecracker of a personality and it shows through on camera. She’s a natural. We found each other on Instagram (add her here) and she introduced herself by asking if I needed a model for the Feminasty t-shirts. TOTALLY CHARMING! Enthusiasm goes straight to my heart. Since then I’ve been Team Romy and it’s been great to watch other companies take notice of her.

I asked her a few questions and this is what she had to say:

What does being a Feminasty mean to you?

To me being a Feminasty means being a strong woman or man who believes in full equality amongst the two genders regardless of ANYTHING! A perk would be that that individual is an artsy kickass kinda person.

Where is your favorite place to take friends in LA and why?

My favorite place to take my friends in LA is Hollywood Forever Cemetery. That’s my favorite place in the world and I find it so beautiful and peaceful and magical!

I constantly have to remind myself that:

I have to constantly remind myself that even though people are mean and try to put me down their opinions do not matter and should not affect me and who I want to be.

My favorite book is:

My favorite book is A Clockwork Orange! Fave book and movie hands down, no doubt about it. It’s a literary masterpiece that causes you to feel uncomfortable and uneasy and beautiful all in one ride.

What are you working on now?

I’m currently in production of my first clothing line!!! All of the pieces will reflect the good and bad in being young. All pieces will be one of one and one size fits most. I’m designing this line to express myself through something I’m passionate about, which is fashion. Edit: Romy let me know that this is gonna be her project over the summer!